


Pocket Guardian-America

by DevinelyIntervened



Series: Pocket Guardians [2]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-02-23 10:48:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23710297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DevinelyIntervened/pseuds/DevinelyIntervened
Summary: You once thought yourself to be plain. But your life takes a drastic turn for the weird side when you come into possession of a seemingly innocent good luck charm with a big personality.
Series: Pocket Guardians [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1707634
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> https://www.deviantart.com/russianlilly13/gallery/all

Alfred F. Jones  
An American boy that grew up under a British gentleman, he is loud and child-like. This comes off as obnoxious and bothersome to most and they assume him to be an idiot. However, he is just as smart as everyone else. He views the world through the eyes of a child and is not afraid to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. 

After I read the first passage, I noticed a bit of smaller text at the bottom. It looked like it had been written and as if by a child. I had to squint to see it.

If you ever need me, Just call for a Hero!

This last bit of text confused me and I couldn't help but share it with Nicole, who just shrugged it off as the shop keeper making a memo and forgetting about it. I accepted that, too tired to worry about it any longer before unlocking the car and driving home. I dropped Nicole off at her house before making the short drive to mine. On my way up to the door I noticed a small face in the window and smiled. Rover, my two month old Golden Retriever puppy was standing on the window sill, yipping and dancing in place. As I opened the door he bolted out and jumped on me, trying to lick my face. I picked him up and gave him a hug before setting him down and reaching through the door. I set the bag full of stuff on the floor and grabbed Rover's leash. He went into a frenzy when he saw it and I laughed. 

"You know what, Rover? It's been a while since we've went on a night walk and I feel a little more awake now. So let's make the most of it." I clipped him to the leash and about walked away before I felt a pull. I looked back to the door and sighed as I opened it. I dug around in the bag and pulled out the satin lined box with the little figurine. I stared at it for a moment before Rover's whine pulled me back to reality. 

"Alfred, huh? I guess you can come too." I felt silly, talking to a doll, and slipped it into my jacket pocket, picking the leash back up and starting down the road toward the park, the figurine warm in my pocket. 

Leash in hand, I walked into the quiet park. No one was around as it was dark out and I took a breath of the crisp autumn air and smiled. I had missed these late night walks with Rover. I only vaguely remember why I had stopped. We walked a few laps around the park before a raccoon darted out from the tree line, startling me and my puppy. I let out a breath that quickly caught in my throat as Rover pulled his leash from my hand and took off into the woods that surrounded the far side of the park, chasing the little raccoon. I took off after him, quickly falling behind. As I entered the woods I could feel eyes on me as I called out of for my dog. 

After what felt like hours I heard the high pitched bark of my puppy and bolted in that direction. Just when I could see his golden fur, I felt my foot catch on a tree root and I fell with an undignified sound. It caught his attention though, and he abandoned the tree he was barking up to join my side. I noticed the raccoon in a different tree than Rovers'. 

"Dammit Rover, don't do that to me. You could've gotten lost or even worse!" I grabbed his leash and stood, but nearly fell again as a pain shot up my leg. I looked down as Rover whined and noticed a red spot on my jeans. I had managed to cut myself in my panic to find my dog. I sighed and leaned on a tree for support as i looked around to find the path. It took me a moment to realize that I hadn't run down a path to get here. I shivered as the cool air began to cut through my thin jacket.

"Hey Rover, remember what I said about getting lost? Yeah. That just happened." He yipped and I shook my head. I began limping my way forward, hoping to find the correct way back to the park and wondering why the city left these woods here to begin with. After walking about thirty feet I noticed it was becoming harder and harder to see. I gave a loud sigh and jumped as I heard a chuckle nearby. I looked and saw a boy through the trees holding a lantern. 

"Well, you seem a bit lost. Need any help there?" His voice was smooth and he looked about my age as he got closer. He also didn't seem surprised to see me. I guess people get lost here often. I gave him a once over, trying to judge his intent. He seemed sincere enough, I guess. 

"Yeah actually. Could you point me in the direction of the park?" I saw him chuckle.

"Ah, you must be the girl I noticed earlier. I see you got your dog. Come on, the park is this way." He motion behind him and beckoned for me to follow. I made my way over as best I could and he walked with me. I noticed he stayed close despite my slow progress, but made no move to help me.

"So what's a pretty girl like you doing out here this late at night? Didn't you hear about the recent abductions around the park?" I nodded and suddenly remembered the reason I had stopped taking night walks. 

"Yeah, kids that stayed to late where getting snatched up by someone. But didn't the police catch the perp?" My attention was on the ground to keep from falling again, so I didn't see his face. I just felt a small prick in my arm and looked over to see a needle and him smirking. I fell and the last thing I remembered was his voice before I blacked out.

"Yes, but his partner got away."


	2. Chapter 2

I wandered the woods, seeking something. What was it? I can’t remember. Remembering makes my head hurt. Wait, my head hurt? I should get some Excedrin. I opened the medicine cabinet and took out the green bottle. Wait, I thought I was in the woods? No, I'm in my house. I walked down to the kitchen to draw some water up from the well. Well? There's no well in my kitchen. Oh, I'm not in my kitchen, I’m on my Grandmother's farm. Wait, my grandmother didn’t have a farm. My head hurt…

“(Na).....(me)...”

A whisper on the wind caught my attention. It pulled me back toward the woods, calling me. I turned and made my way down to where the woods began, the voice getting louder with each step. 

“(Name).....”

Just through the edge of the woods, the voice was joined by a barking. That's when I remembered, I had been in the woods looking for my dog! My head hurt a little less as I surged forward, following both the barking and the voice.

“(Name)!”

I gasped as the woods in front of me opened into a calm clearing. In the center was a dark, shifting mass. I crept closer, the sounds I had been following seemed to be coming from it. When I was close enough to see clearly, I noticed it wasn't just one mass, but two. On in the shape of a dog, MY dog, and the other...in the shape of a man? Yeah, a man. I could see a few details like varying differences in color where clothes would be. The most striking thing I could make out on this tall figure were its eyes. A bright blue, much like the color of the mighty ocean and just as deep. It moved closer and began to speak, its words wrapping around me like a warm blanket. 

“Remember (Name), all you need is to call for me. Call for me, and I will come.”

Before I could ask who he was or what he meant, another voice crashed through the clearing. Where this man's’ voice had been gentle and warm, this new voice hit me like a tsunami, knocking me down and sweeping me up like a piece of driftwood. I opened my mouth to scream, but the roar of the tide drowned me out, filling my lungs with water where there should’ve been air.

*****

I coughed and sputtered as I was shocked awake by icy water being dumped directly on my face. I heard an amused chuckle as I tried to clear my lungs and get a few good breaths in, still reeling not only from the rather rude awakening, but also the strange dream. I looked up, mind still a bit hazy, to see who was laughing at my discomfort. My mind cleared with a clap of thunder as I saw the face of the boy who had been “helping me get home” and ended up drugging me.

“Y-you…”

“Yes, me. Honestly, I have to tell you something. You have the cutest dreaming face! Someone’s gonna pay a high price for you~”

My eyes widened and I felt something bubble up from my stomach. Just as it reached my throat, the boy kicked a bucket over to me. I grabbed just as I started throwing up, my body having a bad reaction to whatever drug he injected me with. He waited patiently for me to finish.

“You're going to be retching for a few hours, so be ready for that. Anyway, you looked like you were going to ask me something. But here’s the thing, you don’t get to ask questions. I’m going to tell what I WANT you to know and you are going to listen like a good little pet if you want any water while your body purges itself. Got it?”

I retched again before giving him a meek nod. He clapped happily, clearly pleased by my answer. This boy was nothing like the charmer I met in the woods….how could they be the same person?

“Alright, Pet, first things first. You no longer have a name of your own. You are Item #438 and I am your handler. For short, I’m going to call you Pet and you will call me Lord. Fail to call me Lord or answer to either Pet or Item #438, and you will be punished. Now that introductions are out of the way, let’s move onto the where and why. You are in our state of the art training facility somewhere I don’t want to tell you. As for the why, it’s quite simple. You were dumb enough to walk through my woods at night! Do you have any idea how many cliches you stumbled into ass first?” 

I looked around a bit while he was laughing, trying to see where I was while still listening to the boy. From what I could see with quick glances, I was in what looked like a prison cell. The boy was sitting inside with me on the bench, but heavy weights around my wrists and ankles told me I wouldn’t be able to reach him. I could also see other girls in cells across from mine. I turned my attention back to him as I heard him continue talking.

“Now, the real question you would be asking if you could would be ‘What’s going to happen to me now?’ And that, my Pet, is the million dollar question. You see, when I said this was a training facility, I didn’t tell you what you would be trained for. You are going to be turned into a Doll! And no, I don’t mean like Raggedy Ann. You are going to be a toy for grown men. To be used and played with as they see fit, serving and servicing them any way they demand!”

My eyes widen and I felt panic bubble up with the next round of retching. 

“That's right, Pet! We’re here to train you to be a sex doll! Just like all these other girls~” 

He shifted so I could see behind him and my stomach dropped like a lead weight. There were hundreds of cells down the Halls of this prison and each one had two to three girls chained up to odd and grotesque machinery. He shifted back into my line of sight with a gleeful expression. 

“Alright, I’m going to give you some time to...adjust. If you stay quiet, I’ll bring you water in an hour. You have too much potential to just let...die.” 

I felt tears falling down my face as I watched him leave, not even bothering to close the cell door. He was taunting me with the prospect of escape knowing full well that I couldn't. I sat and cried between throwing up. My mind began to haze again and all I could remember was a bottle of water being tossed beside me at some point before I passed out again.

I woke up with three male voices speaking outside my cell. I pretended to be asleep while I listened to them. 

“Here she is, #438. Just came in yesterday. So far, she’s pretty compliant, but we haven’t begun training yet. She been stripped and washed along with the wound on her leg getting cleaned and bandaged.”

“Was she injured in transit?”

“No, she injured herself before coming into contact with the agent that brought her in.”

“Good. The last thing we need in a damage claim if she makes it through screening.”

“What's with the wooden doll? I thought you said she had been stripped?”

“Yes, well, Agent Feral left it just out of her reach to help keep her mental state in check. She clutched it when he tried to take it. You know how he enjoys breaking in the new ones.”

“Fair enough. Have the test results come back yet?”

“Yes, she’s clean. Still a virgin too, according to the doctor.”

“Good. We’ll giver her two days to heal that leg. And tell Agent Feral…”

I couldn’t hear anymore as they had walked just out of earshot. Feral….yeah, he seemed pretty feral to me. I opened my eyes and looked around, remembering what the third man had said about a wooden doll. Lo and behold, sitting on the bench was the little figurine I had bought from the old woman at the convention. And true to what had been said, it was just out of reach. I tried to recall what its name had been, but that just left me with a headache that made me sit up.

I looked down at myself and noticed I was completely nude. I blushed hard as I wondered just how long I had been this way. Then I remembered the men talked about a doctor and what I could only assume were STD screenings. I went white and felt sick to my stomach when I realized they had been...near my....I threw up into the bucket again, noting in the back of my head that it was empty now. I took a shaky breath, my only respite being they had also mentioned that I was still a virgin. That meant that they hadn’t gone that far. Yet...I shuddered and curled into a ball. 

How was I going to get home now? All I had was an empty promise of escape and little wooden figurine with eyes like the ocean and just as deep.


	3. Chapter 3

I woke to the sound of chains being rattled. I sat up, body aching from sleeping on the concrete floor. I looked around to find the source of the noise and saw the boy from before behind me, hooking my chains into a machine that resembled a rack from medieval times. He saw I was awake and gave a mad grin.

“You're awake! Lovely! Alright, Pet, its education day~! The boss told me you get a two day grace to heal that leg of yours.” He giggled and turned back to his work with the machine. “So I figured if we couldn’t train your body, we could train your mind. So I’m going to hook you up to the Education table. Don’t worry, your grace period means we can’t use it proper, but it still makes a GREAT tool.” 

I was about to question him when he walked over to a crank on the side of the machine. He started turning it and the chains on my wrists were pulled into the gears. I started to panic, struggling in my binds as I was pulled up into the machine. I wanted to scream, wanted to call for help, but the way this boy looked at me terrified me more than the machine.

Once my arms were secure, he lowered the machine so I was laying on the rough wood. He whistled What a Wonderful World as he walked to my feet, hooking the chains into another part of the machine and turning another crank. Soon, it became impossible for me to move. I looked up at him as he started to laugh.

“This is called the Education Table and it served two jobs. Well...three, for MY dolls. The first job is: Flexibility! Our buyers like their dolls to be flexible. So every day, we hook them up to the tables and stretch their muscles for a few hours. It keeps you girls loose and able to bend.” He giggled and gave the legs an extra crank for emphasis. “Of course, your stretching wont start for a couple of days. Anyway, the second job is, well, education! We use these tables to teach our dolls to be quiet and obedient! If you WERE to act up, I would hook you up to the table like this and get my whip!”

I paled as he walked to the corner of the cell where a steel locker was. He opened it up and pulled out a riding crop. He waved it around, clearly enjoying the reaction he was getting before putting it back in among the rest of the various items that looked like they should be used for animals, not people. He came back over, a glint in his eye.

“Now, the third job this table does is something I do for my Dolls that most don't. You see, I like to enforce...lets call it ‘Quality Control’. I’ve never had a complaint about my Dolls because of it! The best way, in my opinion, to make sure you're selling a quality product is to try it yourself~” He gave a dark laugh as he watched my face. “I use these tables to make sure my Dolls are up to standard! Of course, I always clean them out afterward, but that's beside the point. But you, you get to be special.

We already have a buyer lined up for you! Well, not you specifically, but you meet his qualifications. You see, this guy is willing to shell out nearly two million for you on one condition: You stay a virgin until the sale. Now, normally you wouldn’t come from my collection with that requirement. As I already said, I like to make sure my collection works well. But virgins are getting hard to find and this guy has been on the waiting list for a while, so the boss said the next virgin to come in would be his. I’m not happy about it, but hey, what the boss says goes.”

My mind was reeling from this information dump. I was petrified as well. What the hell was this guy going to do to me?! I gulped and watched him as he moved around the table.

“See, I’m only concerned with the quality of my Dolls, so if someone else brings in a virgin, I get free reign again. I’m hoping for a happy ending.” He giggled and started undoing the cranks. “Well, I think I’ve told you enough. I'll be by later with your meal and some water, but only if you're good!” He unhooked me from the machine and left, heading down the hall. I cried from my place on the floor, feeling sick to my stomach. I felt the weight of the world and all its cruelty on my shoulders just as the shackles weighed down my limbs.

I had no way to tell how many days went by after my ‘training’ started. The only way i could measure time was when Feral would let me sleep. I kept count in my head. 3 sleeps, 8 sleeps, 16...eventually I stopped counting. I became convinced no one was looking for me and I lost hope for my freedom with every crank of the Table, every crack of the riding crop. The only saving grace I had was that I was spared the worst of the training as they had yet to find another virgin. I could only hope that they never would. I had taken to talking to the little figurine that Feral -I mean Lord- let me keep in my cell. I talked to him every night, spilling my heart out. I still couldn’t remember his name, but that didn’t bother me anymore. It was quite literally the least of my worries.

I woke after another sleep and sat up to wait for my Lord to begin today’s stretches. My arms were aching from sleeping on the concrete, so I waited eagerly. When he came in, however, I felt something in my stomach twist. He had a smile on his face that resembled the one he had when I first came to The Farm. He whistled his merry tune as he hooked me up to the table and started to stretch my limbs. I gave a small sigh of relief as the stiffness left, but that relief was short lived. My Lord clapped his hands to get my attention.

“#438, I have the BEST news for you! Last night after you went to sleep, one of our other agents brought something in! Something wonderful for the both of us!” His grin grew to an inhuman size. “They found another Virgin!”

My eyes widened and I started to shake. No...no no no...But I was only safe because of that! I started to struggle in my binds, bringing a manic laugh from the psychopath beside me. 

“You look almost as excited as me! This means I’m free to test you out and make sure your lessons have been sticking!” He left me hooked up to the table as he walked over to his locker. 

My heart was beating so hard it felt like it was going to break free of my rib cage. I struggled against my chains, tears leaking out of my eyes. As I looked back at my Lor- no. As I looked back over at FERAL, time seemed to slow. His cheerful humming dulled to a whisper and my thundering heartbeat seemed to stop as another voice whispered in my ear. 

“(Name)....”

(Name)? Who was…wait, that was MY name... and the voice sounded so familiar…

“Remember, (Name). Call for me…”

My eyes widened as I was hit with a sudden memory. A calm clearing in the forest, a tall figure, eyes like the ocean...and a note. A note telling me all I had to do was-

“Alfred! Please, I need you! Help me, Alfred, please! I need a Hero!”

Time surged forward as those words tumbled from my lips, shouted at a volume I didn’t know I could reach. Feral turned with a growl, shouting back for me to be quiet, but was silenced as a bright white light filled the cell. I gasped and shut my eyes, blinking away the spots as the light disappeared as quickly as it had come. There was a slight ringing in my ears, but I could hear Feral shouting in an angry tone. I looked over to where he and the figurine were and my eyes widened. The little wooden man that had kept me sane throughout however long I had been here was gone.

In its place was a tall, tanned man with yellow blond hair. He wore glasses, a brown bomber jacket, blue jeans, and sneakers and had a lock of hair that seemed to be defying gravity. The most striking thing about the man, however, were his eyes. A rich blue, like the ocean. And just as deep. His eyes were the same as the little charm. As I looked into his eyes, the ringing in my ears cleared up and I could hear the last of Feral’s screaming.

“-on the top of this long list of questions is, WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?!”

The boy finally turned his gaze to the psycho and he chuckled. His voice when spoke was as familiar to me at this point as my own. He pulled a gun from his coat and pointed it at Feral.

“Didn’t you hear (Name)? I’m the Hero she called for.”


	4. Chapter 4

“Didn’t you hear (Name)? I’m the Hero she called for.”

Feral scowled as he looked between me, the man, and the gun in the man's hand. I could see the madness in his eyes as he seemed to be processing the information in front of him. He had no more questions and I could see the exact moment his fragile sanity snapped. He surged forward, rushing the man in an attempt to catch him off guard. It didn’t work and I closed my eyes as the sound of a gunshot rang through the cell. The curses that followed told me Feral hadn’t been killed, just incapacitated. I opened my eyes again as I felt tugging at my chains. I was going to beg for him to spare me, but the words died in my throat as he pulled the chains apart as if made from paper.

“It’s alright, (Name). I’m going to get you out of here.” He pulled his coat off once my hands and feet were free. He wrapped me up in it as he picked me up and walked out the cell. He carried me through The Farm, breaking the legs of anyone who tried to stop him. He got lost a couple times and found plenty of dead ends. Finally, he found his way up to the surface. I closed my eyes as he opened the door, sunlight blinding me. He started running with me, but for how long I didn’t know. Soon, the blinding light of the sun was replaced by the blinding light of what sounded like a hospital.

The next thing to happen was a blur. I was admitted into the hospital while Alfred called the police. I was brought to a room and given a gown to wear while several doctors looked over my injuries and asked me various questions. The only answers I could give them caused them to notify the police. While I waited for them to show up, the doctors hooked me up to various IV’s and started doing a few tests. When the police showed us, they came in and brought Alfred with them. 

They asked similar questions to the doctors, but once I told them about The Farm. They questioned me on where it was, who was there, how we got out, etc. They also questioned me about how Alfred got there. I told them that he just...showed up. When they turned to Alfred with the same question, he answered in his familiar voice.

“I was out walking, on my way to get some McDonald's, when I saw someone ducking into the sewer just outside town. I got curious and followed him and ended up in the system of cells. Like a prison underground. I heard her screaming and found her.”

I liked the way the story sounded, even though I had no idea what really happened. The police seemed to believe him, for the most part, and asked if he could take them there. He nodded, but told them he wanted to make sure I was alright first. When I reassured him, He left with one of the officers. The other stayed with me and continued to question me on what I had gone through. I told him, leaving nothing out, and I could tell the story was making him sick. He asked if I had any family and I nodded.

“I have a sister and my mother. They live in (City). But...this doesn't look the (City) Hospital. Where am I?”

“Ms. (LastName), you're only a few miles over in (OtherCity). Do you know the phone number of your Mother or sister?”

I nodded and he handed me a phone. I punched in Nicole's number and was surprised when she answered before it could even ring.

-Hello? This is Nicole (LastName).-

“Nicole? Its (Name). I-”

-(Name)?! Name), is that really you?! Oh my god, where are you?! Mom and I have been worried sick!-

“I'm in the hospital in (OtherCity).”

-Were on our way! We’ll be there in fifteen minutes!-

She hung up and I sighed, handing the phone back to the officer. I told him they were on their way and he nodded. He stepped out as his radio began squawking. I was left alone in the room for a short while before the officer came back in.

“Ms. (LastName), the man who did this is in custody. Mr. Jones’s information turned out to be true. Everything is taken care of. Mr. Jones will be back in a bit once we finish ironing out a few more questions. The media will be all over this, but you don’t have to speak to them. If you want to, tell the nurse and I will stay with you through it.”

I nodded and let out a breath, thanking the officer and closing my eyes in relief. He left shortly after and once again I was alone. I watched the clock tick down and looked up as the door opened again, this time Alfred stepping in. I gulped, nervous still about the strange man who had come to my rescue. He sat in the chair the officer had been sitting in and smiled at me.

“How are you holding up, (Name)?”

“How...do you know my name? And why do you look like my good luck charm? A-and how did you find me?” The questions just started pouring out of my mouth. He smiled and let me ramble on until he was sure I was out of questions. 

“Tell you what. I’ll answer all your questions, but you have to make a full recovery first.”

I blushed at his goofy grin and couldn’t help but smile back. We sat in silence for a minute before the door flying open caught both our attention. Nicole barreled into the room, looking around before seeing me and launching herself at me. She wrapped me in a bear hug and I hugged back, happy to see a familiar face. She sobbed openly her babbling almost incoherent.

“Nicole, I can’t understand you.”

“(Name), where were you? What happened? We found Rover on the streets and when we couldn’t find you…(Name), you've been missing for almost 6 months! We...we almost gave up…” She started crying again.

I was struck dumb. 6 months? How did I survive that long? How had I not lost my mind? My thoughts wandered back to the little figurine and, by extension, the man sitting next to me who looked just like it. She continued to ramble on until my Mom came in. She had been talking to the police to find out what had happened. She went over to Alfred and thanked him, pulling him into a hug as she cried. He patted her back awkwardly, blushing a bit from the suddenness. She let him go and made her way over to me, pulling me into a hug as she and Nicole both cried.

The next few days were a blur of nurses and doctors keeping my health in check. I stayed in the bed while they did their tests and scans, but they told me they were signing me up for physical therapy. Apparently, the stretching on the Table hadn’t been enough to keep my muscles from breaking down. Add that to the small amount of food I had been given and it was a recipe for long lasting health problems. Alfred was there for the whole thing. When asked why, he told the staff he wanted make sure I was ok. When they tried to force him to leave, I told them I wanted him to stay. They let him stay after that, claiming it was for my mental health.

After about six days in the hospital, my mom came to pick me up and take me home. Alfred wheeled me out in the wheelchair and helped me inter her car. I asked my mom if he could ride home with me and she nodded. Nicole was sitting in the front of the car, so Alfred and I were in the back. She drove me home and, when I asked, let Alfred stay with me. I could tell she wanted to question it, but I pleaded with her. She relented and told me she would bring Rover home to me tomorrow and help me get my house cleaned up.

I gave them each a hug goodbye and let Alfred lead me inside. I watched them pull away and turned to the man leaning against the door frame. 

“Alright Alfred. You owe me some answers.”


	5. Chapter 5

Alfred nodded and motioned for me to sit. I did just that, taking a seat on the now a bit dusty couch. He took a breath and I could tell he was having a difficult place to start. So I decided to help him.

“Let's start small. How did you find me?”

“You called for me.”

I felt my brow twitch and took a breath. If this was how he was gonna be, I may not get any information out of him. However, he seemed to notice my irritation and beat me to the punch.

“Look, I know how that sounded, but it's the honest truth. You remember that wooden charm The Creator gave you? That was me.”

“Who...who is The Creator? You mean the old woman? And more importantly, how could that charm have been you? People don’t turn into little wooden dolls or vice versa!”

He held his hands up in defense as my volume raised. He walked over and sat on the floor by the TV and nodded.

“Again, I know how that sounded. But give me the chance to explain. You see, I’m not a human. Well, I am now, but I wasn't before. You see The Creator, or the old woman as you put it, has the power to breathe life into the wood she works with. To put it bluntly, she's a sorcerer. I couldn't tell you how because frankly I don't know, but she sells up to people in the hope that they complete her spell. See, while she creates the magic, she can’t speak the words to release the spell herself. That would count as creating life, which as you can imagine is a bad thing. You following so far?”

To be honest, no. I was completely lost. Magic isn't real, it was just stories told to kids. But for the sake of argument I nodded and he continued.

“So she picks out people who have a bit of magic in their bloodline, no matter how small, and sells us to them. Do you remember the card she gave you when you bought me?” He noticed it on the floor by the door and went over to pick it up. He handed it to me and I read it again.

“Yeah, it told me a bit about yo- the doll. And then there was a little note at the bottom that didn't make sense.”

“That note was written for me by The Creator! It told you ‘call for a hero’ because that was the key phrase to casting the spell. When you called for me and used my name, you basically willed me into existence.” He grinned, as if this should all make sense. 

“Ok...so lets say what you're telling me is true. What would have happened if I never got into a situation where I would need to call out?” I narrowed my eyes. “And even this is true, you still need to prove you're that little doll.”

“If you never needed me, I would just stay a charm.” He shrugged as if it was no big deal. “And as for the proof...well, just watch!” He grinned and suddenly began to glow. I covered my eyes a bit and watch in wonder as he began to rapidly shrink.

“What…” I looked as the light dimmed and gasped. Where Alfred had been sitting by the TV was the little charm. “O-ok...Magic Charm...lets say I believe that now...Can you change back on your own?”

As a response to my question, the doll glowed and grew, turning back into a grinning Alfred. I let out a breath and sat back against the couch. 

“Yeah, I know its a lot to take in. But honestly, what happens next is up to you.”

“What do you mean?”

He shifted uncomfortably. “Well... basically you're in charge. I’m just a guardian, so it's up to you whether or not i stay or go. I can stay as the little charm and only become human when you need me or I can stick around as a person.”

Now it was my turn to shift awkwardly. “Let’s...talk about that later. I don’t know how comfortable I am having power over you like that…” 

“Ok. So...are you hungry? I can’t imagine that stuff at the hospital tasted any good.”

As if on cue, my stomach let out a loud growl. I couldn't help the smile that spread on my face and chuckled. Alfred grinned as well and stood, heading for the kitchen.

“I'm not the best cook in the world, but I make a mean hamburger! What do you want on it?”

“Um...surprise me.” It felt a bit surreal A man who used to be a doll small enough to fit in my pocket and had single-handedly saved me from human trafficking and slavery...was about to make me a burger. Now, it may have been the mental trauma or the medication, but all I could really do was break into laughter. I laughed until my sides hurt before falling onto the couch longways. 

My eyes were feeling heavy by the tame a plate was held in my line of sight. I sat up, taking the plate and looking up at...well, at my hero. My pocket-sized guardian. I smiled, looking down at my food. He made fries as well. Taking a bite, I smiled more and complimented him on his cooking. He gave the cheeky grin of his and continued to eat from his own plate. It didn't take either or us long to finish and set our plates aside. It was then that a few more questions came to me.

“Hey Alfred, you said that this Creator only sells to people with magic in their blood. What does that mean for me? And if there IS magic in my family, why didn't my sister see her?”

“The first part is pretty literal. Somewhere in your family tree, someone had a kid with someone who used magic. As for the second question...she probably thought you would have a better shot at completing the spell. Were you in any distress at the time?”

“Yeah. I lost Nicole at the Convention we were at and my social anxiety was about to get out of hand.”

“Well, there you go.”

I nodded. Of all the weird stuff he had told me today, that seemed the most believable. Speaking of weird…

“I just realized I can't tell my mom any of this...She’d send me right back to the hospital. What am I gonna tell her about you?” I thought for a while. “I mean...I don't like the idea of it, but if we can't think of anything...you could always turn back into the charm…”

He raised a brow when I said I didn’t like the idea, but didn’t question it. He sat back as he thought as well.

“I got it! Just tell her I live nearby and came over to help. I mean, it would make sense.”

I had to admit, it sounded like a solid plan. I don't think my mom would question it, I would just have to be careful. I didn't want her to think I was dating him. ESPECIALLY in light of...recent events. I nodded and my eyes suddenly got very heavy. I yawned and heard him chuckle. 

“Looks like it's time to head to sleep. Don't worry, I'll sleep on the couch.”


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning I woke to the sound of snoring coming from the living room. I sat up with a yawn and decided a shower was the best thing for me. I got up, grabbed a set of clothes for the day, and made it to the bathroom before getting winded. Man, the doctors were right. Spending nearly half a year with barely any movement really wasn't good for your muscles. I jumped in the shower, sighing in happiness as the warm water soothed my muscles. I heard my phone going off and sighed, washing my hair and body before getting out. The phone had long since stopped ringing, but one look at the time told me my shower had been a lot longer than I thought. 

I dressed and wrapped my hair up in a towel before heading out, finding the snoring from before absent. Instead, clamoring from the kitchen followed by a crash and a curse met my ears. I walked in, leaning on the frame, and saw Alfred with a duster. He was in the middle of picking up a pan he had dropped when my voice startled him, making him jump and drop it again.

“Um...what are you doing?” CRASH. He whirled around and grinned.

“Well, figured I’d make myself useful and help clean out the dust! I was gonna use your computer to look for a job, but I thought you’d be mad if I did.”

Well he was right, I would’ve been mad if I had found him on my computer. But, I had other questions.

“Why were you gonna look for a job? I mean, thank you for not using my computer without permission, but…”

“I did some thinking last night after you went to bed. You probably had a job before...all this. And if you still have this apartment, that means you still have bills. You're still in recovery, so I figured I could get a job to help keep things paid and stuff.” 

I blinked in surprise. He looked so sincere and kind that...well, I honestly didn't want to tell him he shouldn't. I still haven't decided whether or not to have him stay as a charm. 

“You don't have to do that, Alfred. My bills won't be a problem. My Dad set me up with an emergency account before he was deployed that keeps things paid should something happen to me. It's his way of taking care of me while hes gone.”

He seemed to deflate a bit. “Oh. Wait, you're Dad is in the military?”

“Yeah, he's overseas right now. He won't be back for a couple years though.”

He nodded. “Mad respect for him. Anyway, even if I don't have too, I feel like it would be the best thing for me if I stay human.”

I sighed as he gave me that goofy grin of his, as if the thought of turning back into a charm didn't bother him. Honestly, that bit bothered me more than him being ABLE to do it.

“Doesn't it bother you? Doesn't it affect you that I have so much power over your very life?” I watched his face. I was surprised when he started laughing.

“Look, (Name). It’s a win-win for me either way. If you decide to keep me as a charm, then I know you’ll call for me when you really need me. If not, I get to experience life as a human and still be able to protect you. So no, it doesn't bother me.”

I watched him for a moment before sighing, relenting for now. I mean, so long as he didn't try anything I didn't see the harm in letting him stick around. I walked back out to the living room where my phone was, remembering why I had gotten out of the shower in the first place. I checked the missed calls and saw that my mother and Nicole both had called me. Nicole sent me a message as well, asking me to call them when I was awake. I did just that, calling my Mom first. She told me they would head over, bringing my dog and my breakfast.

“Hey Mom, can bring something for Alfred as well?”

-The boy who saved you? Of course, anything for him. But what's he still doing there?-

“I'll explain when you get here. And thanks.”

We said our goodbyes and hung up just as Alfred walked into the living room. I told him they were on their way and he nodded before continuing to dust off the furniture. When I offered to help he told me no, reminding me I had physical therapy today and I should save my energy for that. I sighed and settled into the couch. I didn't like being this...useless. I suddenly got an idea. If I couldn't help clean, maybe I could still help him. I asked him if he could bring me my laptop and he did.

I fired it up and pulled up a list of places in the area that were hiring. I started asking him questions and filling out the forms for a couple places at the same time. A few restaurants, some stores, even a place with the city as a factory worker. As I filled out the spaces on each application, I hit a block. 

“Alfred, you don't have any birth information. And I don't mean like birthday. You don't have a Driver's Licence or State ID! Or even a Social Security Number! How are you gonna get a job?” I raised a brow as he dug around in his pockets.

“No problem, dude! The Creator’s magic had that covered!” He handed me...A State ID and Social Security Card. “When we become humans, the spell also gives us some basic...existence stuff. Not much else though.”

I narrowed my eyes. Well...that seemed convenient. I pushed it aside and typed in the information. I told him I was tying the address to mine so we would get him mail and stuff and he nodded. By the time I hit submit on the last one, there was a knock at my door. I got up and went over, opening the door only to get bowled over by Rover. He had grown quite a lot since the last time I saw him.

Nicole pulled him off as Mom came in. She grinned, holding him back as I got up.

“You should've seen him yesterday. He smelled you on us and wouldn't stop whining all night.”

I smiled and gave my excited dog a massive bear hug. Alfred peeked his head around the corner to see what was going on and smiled, seeing me and the dog. My mom saw him and made her way over, bag of food in hand. He grinned like a kid on Christmas when she handed it to him, thanking her profusely. She simply smiled and gave him another hug, one he readily returned. Nicole gave me a confused look. 

“Wait, what's he doing here?” Mom turned and gave her a look that said ‘RUDE’, but she was also clearly curious. 

“Turns out he lives nearby.” I started. I didn't know what to follow it up with, but Alfred took over.

“Yeah, just around the block. I was in (OtherCity) that day visiting my brother. Anyway, I saw how dusty the place was last night when you guys brought her home and figured I would help get things cleaned up. Trust me, dust id my mortal enemy and I will fight it wherever it shall hide!” He pulled a goofy Hero pose and Nicole laughed. Even Mom chuckled at the his good nature.

“Alright Alfred. Thank you for everything you've done for (Name) and for going out of your way to continue to help. I can pay you, if you-” Mom was cut off by Alfred raising his hand.

“Don't worry about it. Even if you try, I wont except it. I just want to help.”

Even I was caught off guard by the honesty in his voice, and I knew it was just a story we were feeding her. But...something told me it was still true either way. I couldn’t help but smile as my Mom drew him into another hug. Rover got in on it too, jumping up and licking his hand. I caught Nicole’s gaze from the corner of my eye. I looked at her questioning gaze as she wiggled her eyebrows. I glared at her, slightly blushing.

“No.”


	7. Chapter 7

A couple of weeks went by with Alfred waiting on me hand and foot. My physical therapy left me exhausted at the end of the day and sore no matter what. He did his best to keep me off my feet while at home. He would cook for me, clean with my Mom when she came over, bring me anything I wanted, etc. I drew the line at anything involving my bathroom or bedroom though. No matter How much I was hurting, I didn't need help with any of that thank you very much. 

Eventually I got a phone call from the city. They were looking for Alfred, so I gave him the phone. He chatted with them for a few minutes before hanging up and handing it back to me, a sparkle in his eye and a massive grin on his face.

“I’ve got an interview with the city tomorrow! I may end up joining the guys who work on the roads!” 

I smiled, happy for him. I was also glad for a couple of other reasons. One, It would get him out of the house and give me a bit of privacy. As much fun as it was to hang out with him, I was in desperate need of some Me Time. Two, it gave him a reason to use his FREAKING SUPER STRENGTH. Let me say, finding him lifting the couch with one hand while vacuuming was not something I was ready for. And he was super casual about it too, like it was NORMAL. That had been an...interesting day.

“Um...(Name)? You feeling ok? You're spacing out again.” He waved a hand in front of my face.

“What? Oh, yeah, no I'm good. Sorry, just got lost in thought.” I blushed a bit and laughed. I hurried to change the subject. “So, the doctor says my physical therapy is almost over! Once it’s done, I can go back to work myself.”

He smiled and nodded. I had called the restaurant I had been working at before and they said they would gladly reinstate me, given the circumstances. Part of me knew it was just to avoid a lawsuit, but all the same I was glad to get back to work. Next week was my last session and then I was free to do whatever I wanted! First thing I'm gonna do Is take Rover for a walk. But...that brought a bad memory. So I was gonna bring Alfred too.

Said man was currently curled up in front of the TV watching The Ring. I knew this wasn't gonna end well. As brave as he was, Horror movies and Horror games were something he just couldn't handle. He would jump at the smallest thing, so it astounded me that he loved them so much. Almost as much as superheros. This guy was just a big child at heart.

A girlish scream pierced my thoughts as Alfred jumped back from the TV. I sighed as I watched him shake.

“Alright, that’s enough for tonight.” I held up a hand before he could protest. “You have an interview tomorrow, so you need to get some sleep. You can finish the movie tomorrow.”

He pouted, but I stayed strong in my stance. It was hard to do with those big blue eyes gazing up at me. All sad and pleading and...NO. Focus, (Name). I gave him the same look I give Rover when I tell him no. After a minute of trying to convince me with his eyes, he sighed in defeat. I smiled, having won that mini war, and popped the DVD out. I took it with me to my room, just in case. It wouldn't be the first time I caught him staying up late watching movies. I put the DVD on my nightstand and set my alarm before laying down.

I couldn't seem to fall asleep, though. Every time I closed my eyes, my mind wandered to the man in my living room. I let the events of my life play out behind my eyes as I thought. I had been a normal, if somewhat scatterbrained, adult before all this. Now my life was filled with the memory of The Farm, magic, and...Alfred. I blushed as my mind seemed to hover on him. His deep blue eyes that seemed to always be happy and excited. His hair that, no matter how many times it was brushed, was always on the messy side with that strange cowlick.

I had asked him about it once and he avoided it by going on about the current hero he was obsessing over. He did the same thing every time I brought it up, so I stopped asking. My mind moved onto his tanned skin, something akin to a farmer. He had been working out in the yard last week and I got a good look at his toned muscles. I blushed as my mind traveled a bit further, but quickly tried to shake the images from my head. I sat up and gave another sigh. 

“Damn, I think Nicole was right…I think I have a crush on him.” I laid back down and tried to go to sleep. Thankfully, this time I succeeded. 

A few more weeks went by relatively regularly. Alfred had gotten that job and it paid really well. We put about half of it in a bank account we shared. It was an account we were using to save up to get me a house of my own. You know, with two bedrooms. My physical therapy had ended and I was back to work as a server at Applebee’s and I made really good in tips. Turns out a news story went out while I was in the hospital about me and my ‘Daring escape from certain doom’. So other than some difficult questions here and there, people were tipping way more than usual. I put all of it back, half in my account and half in the shared account. May as well save up while we had the chance.

I sighed as I fell back onto my bed, tired from a long day of avoiding awkward questions. Honestly, as much as I loved the extra money from tips, I was about ready to ask to be put in the kitchen. I’d even take dishes at this point. Alfred said it would die down after a while once the story wasn’t so fresh. But even he wasn't allowed to lay low. When he was out working, people would go up to him asking for signatures and pictures. He couldn't even go out to buy groceries without getting mobbed by kids. 

He took it all in stride, though. When I asked how he managed it, he would always shrug and claim he ignored it mostly. I shook my head as I sat up on my bed. For an adult sized child, he was really mature about some things. I changed into a tank top and shorts to combat the heat before heading into the kitchen. I looked through the the room, searching for something to cook for dinner. Alfred was always hungry when he came home. I settled on a nice pasta dish and checked the time before putting the water on to boil.

I looked over as I heard Rover come in. He let out a yawn, letting me know I had woken him from a nap. I smiled and sat on the floor, calling him over.

“Hey Rover, can I talk to you about something? And you can't tell Alfred.” He barked and I smiled. “I think I have a crush on him. I don't know what to do about it though. I mean, I've only known him for a few months now. And to top it off, he isn't really a human! I don't think I’ve been this confused about a guy since Jimmy Hatchet in middle school decided to be a girl for a week.”

I sighed and pet the dog, glad he couldn't talk. I gave him a treat once I stood up and heard the door open. I peaked my head around and smiled when I saw Alfred swigging from his water bottle. He kicked his shoes of and walked into the kitchen with a grin.

“Dude, I got you something! But you have to close your eyes and turn around.” He was holding something behind his back.

I rolled my eyes, but did what he asked. I felt something thud against my chest and opened my eyes, looking down. A medallion hung around my neck. It looked like Superman’s symbol, but on the back was an engraving.

‘Every Superman need a Wonder Woman’

I blushed hard and stammered a thank you to the grinning goofball and gave him a hug turning back to finish cooking dinner.


	8. Chapter 8

One year had passed since Alfred popped into my life. One year since The Farm, the hospital, the magic...and my Hero. It had been the most eventful year of my life. Alfred had been right about the questions and attention dying down, but thankfully the tips stayed pretty good. With the both of us working and making good money, we had been able to get a house after just a few months. We were only leasing it, but it was a rent to own.It was a nice two story house with three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms. Alfred gave me the master bedroom and connected master bath, which was nice.

Alfred himself had taken the bedroom closest to the stairs. It was filled to the brim with comics, anime, movies, posters, and was always messy. I didn't mind much, since he helped keep the rest of the house clean. The last bedroom was being used as an office, kind of. Alfred had gotten a promotion, so he had to start keeping record of all the work done on the roads. So while my computer was kept in the ‘office’, Alfred was the one that used the room the most. 

The house had a fully furnished basement that we turned into a home theater, complete with retro popcorn machine we found in a yard sale. The TV was my Mom’s old flat screen, so It wasn't anything fancy. But it gave us a place to chill on the weekends. Mom had helped us- well, ME as far as she knew- when we first moved in. She went shopping and found us a table and chairs the suited our dinning room and had bought us a new set of kitchenware. 

Alfred, now that he worked a full time 9 to 5, was officially a permanent part of my house. I never wanted to turn him back and rob him of the humanity he now had. He had every right to live as me. And to be honest, the thought of losing him scared me just as badly as the memory of The Farm. As much as I hated to admit it, my crush on the man-child hadn’t gone away. The opposite, in fact. It had gotten worse! The smallest gesture of affection from him would leave me a blushing mess if I wasn’t careful. And he wasn't making it any easier.

He had taken to bringing me home gifts at random. He somehow always knew when I had had a bad day or was just feeling down in general and would come home with some new trinket. It could be something as expensive as a new piece of jewelry, or something as simple as a cupcake from my favorite bakery. I remember one time when I had gotten a letter that my Dad had been injured in an ambush and had a chance of not making it. He survived, thank god, but Alfred had gone whole hog during the following days while I was upset. A spa day, taking me to a theme park, even taking me to a kennel to play with the puppies. All of this plus more made sure I never lost my crush on him.

Today was a day off for me, so I was spending it in the backyard with Rover. He was a fully grown mountain of fluff and loving every minute of playing in the sprinkler. I watched him jump back and forth through it, bite at the water, try and pounce on it, the whole nine yards. He needed a bath anyway, so I didn't mind. I sipped at my Iced tea and typed away at my laptop. I was doing a bit of book keeping for Alfred while he was at work. 

I heard a car roll into the driveway and smiled. Not long after we had gotten this house, Alfred had learned to drive and gotten a truck. I heard the front door open and close and some muffled calling come from the house. I chuckled and stayed quiet, knowing he would come check outside once he heard Rovers barking. Just as I thought, not five minutes later he came out the back door with his own glass of tea. He sat next to me and I had to struggle not to check out his most likely sweaty body. Without looking at him, I asked how his day had been.

“Today was a hassle. We were supposed to patch up a crack in the concrete on Fifth Street, but some weird PETA demonstration made it almost impossible.”

I rolled my eyes. “What were they doing this time?” 

“One of their members was arrested because he was throwing red water on people who were coming out of the butcher shop. He ended up ruining almost $4,000 of meat, so the owner called the cops. Now the group is having a fit and claiming they were targeted by a murderer.”

I sighed, closing the laptop. It was almost dead anyway. “You know, I’m all for animal rights and people who abuse animals getting locked up, but I wish they weren't such pathetic crybabies. Maybe people would take them more seriously.” 

He shrugged, not wanting to spark a political debate. They never went anywhere with the two of us. He fidgeted for a minute before turning and asking something that caught me completely off guard. 

“Do you...want to go to the movies tomorrow night? They’re showing Ant Man.”

“Uh...s-sure.” I blushed and looked at him out of the corner of my eye. Maybe it was my imagination, but it looked like he was blushing too. He grinned and nodded. 

“Awesome! Where something nice, Ok? Were going to dinner after.”

I nodded, a bit stunned as I watched him go collect my dog to bath him. I sat there for a while until the chilled evening air snapped me out of my trance. 

“Did...Did he just ask me on a date?!”

The next night I was in my room, looking through my closet for something nice. I decided on a nice black dress that ended just above the knee. It hugged my figure a bit, accentuating my curves and slimming me out. I slipped on a pair of stockings and some flats, not trusting myself in heels. I put in some silver dangly earrings and a nice peach lip balm. I didn't like the way it looked though, so I cleaned it off and settled for a clear one that added some sparkle to my lips. It was the only makeup I had, really. I styled my hair and finished the look by slipping on the Superman necklace that Alfred had gotten me last year. The first present.

I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled. I looked pretty good~! I heard a knock on my bedroom door and giggled, knowing what he was doing. I rolled my eyes a bit and took a few calming breaths as I opened the door. My last breath caught in my throat as I looked at him dressed up in a suit. Even his hair, despite being perpetually messy, seemed a bit more tamed. 

He smiled and held his hand out to me. “Are you ready?”

I took it nervously and nodded, not trusting my voice. He lead me down the stairs and out the door. He had even taken his truck to be cleaned and it sparkled in the dwindling light. He helped me in before going to his side and soon we were on the road. It didn't take long to get to the Movie Theatre and even less time to get through the line. Turns out not a lot of people were coming to see Ant Man this late, so we could sit pretty much anywhere. We didn't get any popcorn or anything since we knew we were going to dinner after.

We got a few strange looks and I knew why. We looked really out of place with our fancy clothes. We looked like we belonged in an actual theatre. We ignored them as we made our way to our seats. Alfred took my hand and held for the entire movie, making me blush hard. His hand was so warm in mine.

By the time the movie ended, our sides were aching from laughing and our stomachs were growling. Alfred checked the time and smiled, helping me into his truck before taking off toward the richer part of the city. He pulled up outside a restaurant that I had always wanted to try, but never had enough to get in. He got out and opened my door for me, helping me out of the truck. He passed his keys to the Valet and lead me inside. I marveled at the building both inside and out. Turns out, Alfred had a reservation. The host lead us to our table and handed us our menus before leaving. I looked up at Alfred once I picked what I wanted. 

“Alfred, how did you afford this?”

He grinned sheepishly. “I got a bonus when I got that promotion, so I saved it up for this. But um...I really wanted to tell you something…” He took a breath. “You see I...I really like you. And I was hoping we-”

I stopped him with a finger and smiled, blushing. “Alfred, I like you too. I have for a while, actually.”

He grinned and took my hand. He leaned in, stopping a few inches from my lips. I blushed harder before closing the gap, sharing a kiss with the man who saved my life.


End file.
